NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 9 Preview

CARTERSVILLE, GA – It’s going to be a busy Memorial Day Holiday Weekend for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series with four straight nights of competition that will transition from Week 9 right into Week 10. There are ten races in six states on the Week 9 schedule of events on Friday through Sunday, and then two events on Monday to begin Week 10 competition.

There are three NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model events on the schedule for Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS, Lexington 104 Speedway in Lexington, TN, and Salina Speedway in Salina, KS. The Saturday night Week 9 slate will feature three $1,000-to-win races, with one of those events paying a possible $1,200-to-win with bonuses.

Chris Holley of Dayton, TX will be looking to remain undefeated in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition as he goes for his seventh straight win on Saturday night in a $1,000-to-win race at Battleground Speedway in Highlands, TX. With six straight wins at Battleground Speedway, track official placed a $100 per week bounty on Holley last week.

This Saturday night, the bounty on Holley will increase to $200. If any driver can win the $1,000-to-win race this Saturday night, and Holley finishes the race, they will earn an additional $200 by collecting the bounty on Holley.

Another pair of $1,000-to-win NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 9 Late Model races will be held this Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN and at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL. Also hosting Saturday night races will be Arkadelphia Speedway in Bremen, AL, St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, LA, and Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.

The final opportunity to earn NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 9 points will be Sunday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS where third-generation driver Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS will be looking for his fourth straight series win.

Clayhill Motorsports in Atwood, TN and Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL will be in action on Monday night to open Week 10 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model competition. The Flomaton Speedway race will be co-sanctioned by the Southeastern Crate Series and pay $800-to-win.

Looking at the point standings from a Weekly Point Average (WPA) perspective among the Top 20 drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings brings to light an interesting statistic. After the first eight weeks of competition, six of the Top 10 in the WPA rankings are outside the Top 10 in the point standings.

Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings with 384 points, and he has the second highest WPA among the Top 20 drivers in the points chase at 48 out of a possible 50. Daniel Bridgmon of Meridian, MS is second in the standings with 377 points, and has the sixth highest WPA at 47.12.

The third through fifth-place drivers in the point standings didn’t make the Top 10 of the WPA list. Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 353 points, Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL is fourth with 345 points, and Doug Sanchagrin of Florence, MS is fifth with 341 points.

The top five drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings have competed in all eight weeks of competition held thus far in the 27-week season, so they would have more points than drivers who have less weeks of racing under their belts. Drivers that are ranked sixth through tenth in the point standings have raced in seven of the first eight weeks.

Caleb Coan of Moulton, AL is sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 326 points and is ranked seventh on the WPA at 46.57. Mike Combs of Odenville, AL is seventh with 324 points and has the eighth highest WPA among the Top 20 point drivers at 46.25.

Nick Thrash of Meridian, MS is eighth in the standings with 315 points and is tied for the tenth spot on the WPA list with Buster Deen of Crosby, TX at 45. Deen is ranked 20th in the point standings. Ronnie Cooper of McKenzie, TN and Cliff Williams of Star, MS are tied for the tenth spot in the standings at 302 points apiece.

Holley is just simply, “Mr. Perfect.” Even though he is 11th in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with 300 points, that is the maximum amount of points he could earn in six weeks of competition with six 50-point wins. That also ranks him Number One on the WPA list with a perfect 50.

Drivers that are ranked 16th through 20th are among the Top 10 pilots in the Top 10 of the WPA list, and have competed for six of the first eight weeks of NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition.

The defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion Noah Daspit of Kiln, MS is 16th in the standings with 287 points, but he ranks third on the WPA list at 47.83. Heath Minor of Tuscaloosa, AL is 17th in the standings with 286 points, but is fourth on the WPA list at 47.67.

Chris Jewell of Alvin, TX is 18th in the standings with 283 points, but ranks fifth on the WPA list at 47.17. Casey Haney of Meridian, MS is ranked 19th in the standings with 273 points, but is ranked ninth on the WPA list at 45.5

Drivers participating at NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series sanctioned tracks compete against each other through a points system that counts their 14 best weekly point totals over the 27-week season that runs through September 28.

The 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion will earn $10,000 and the Top 10 drivers in the final National point standings will also receive cash awards from the point fund. Drivers will also compete for an additional point fund at each series sanctioned track.

The dirt late model race cars in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series are powered by the economical Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engines that are built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. There are two engines to choose from, the 400 horsepower aluminum-head 604 engine and the 350 horsepower steel-head 602 engine that gets a 100-pound weight break.

These engines are in stock and ready for free next day delivery anywhere in the Southeast from NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA. The Chevrolet Performance 604 Engine is $5,495 and the Chevrolet Performance 602 Engine is $3,195 at NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA. To place an order, call Tim Bland at 1-877-497-3624.

Complete Week 9 results and updated point standings for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series will be available on Monday with the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Round Up. For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series sanctioned tracks, visit the Weekly Racing Series all-new web site at www.nesmithracing.com.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series all-new web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.

NeSMITH CHEVROLET WEEKLY RACING SERIES WEEK 9 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

May 23:

HATTIESBURG SPEEDWAY – HATTIESBURG, MS
LEXINGTON 104 SPEEDWAY – LEXINGTON, TN
SALINA SPEEDWAY – SALINA, KS

May 24:

411 MOTOR SPEEDWAY – SEYMOUR, TN
ARKADELPHIA SPEEDWAY – BREMEN, AL
BATTLEGROUND SPEEDWAY – HIGHLANDS, TX ($1,000-To-Win)
EAST ALABAMA MOTOR SPEEDWAY – PHENIX CITY, AL ($1,000-To-Win)
ST. TAMMANY RACEWAY – LACOMBE, LA
TALLADEGA SHORT TRACK – EASTABOGA, AL

May 25:

GREENVILLE SPEEDWAY – GREENVILLE, MS

May 26 (Week 10 Races):

CLAYHILL MOTORSPORTS – ATWOOD, TN
FLOMATON SPEEDWAY – FLOMATON, AL (Co-Sanctioned With SEC Series)


NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain and Performance Dealer six years running, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Racecar Engineering is the Official Parts Supplier of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Renegade Race and Performance Fuels are a series Associate Sponsor and fuel supplier. Schaeffer’s Oil Presented By Chad Wallace and Heather Newsome is the Official Oil of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2014 are Dominator Race Products, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Schoenfeld Headers, Kinser Air Filters, Performance Rod & Custom, and David Smith Carburetors. 2014 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.